Following the Ian Black “betting” affair, Rangers fans quite rightly expressed concern at the apparent singling out of a Rangers player.
My first instinct when I heard the news was that Black should have been sacked, given that reports stated that he had betted against his own club, with the inference that it was Rangers he betted against.
As it has now transpired he betted for Rangers to draw in a match he played in, and scored in a convincing victory, at odds (pardon the pun) with his fixed odds coupon prediction, it was not as serious as has been made out.
What has happened since has been interesting.
Aside from the fact that Black is to date the only player identified and punished for “irregular betting” in Scotland, public boasts of betting from other players in Scotland on Twitter have been ignored completely.
It’s common knowledge that players enjoy a bet, and picking one player out, who just happens to be a Rangers player, may just turn out to be the last player to face just scrutiny
It just so happens that the SPFA have been visiting grounds across Scotland to advise players on betting.
Clearly, if it wasn’t a problem, they wouldn’t be talking to every player in Scotland about it.
Players have been told that a Ladbrokes employee “grassed” Black to the SFA, following him winning a bet via his telephone account, and them investigating his activity.
Any Rangers fan who still uses Ladbrokes, should take their business elsewhere.